What Is Neuroplasticity?

The Brain Science Behind Healing, Change, and Becoming You

When I first learned about neuroplasticity, I felt like I’d just been handed the keys to my future.

If you’ve ever thought “I’m just wired this way,” or “I’ll never change,” science says: that’s not actually true. Your brain is more adaptable than you think. And you don’t have to be stuck with the same thoughts, habits, or trauma responses forever.

Let’s talk about what neuroplasticity actually is, why it matters (especially if you’re healing), and how to use it to your advantage—even if it feels hard at first.

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So… What Is Neuroplasticity?

In simple terms, neuroplasticity is your brain’s ability to change and rewire itself based on your experiences, thoughts, and behaviors.

Your brain is not static. It’s always adapting.

That means you can literally change:

• The way you think
  
• The emotions you default to
  
• The habits you rely on
  
• The way your nervous system responds to stress, joy, or connection
  

And that’s not just self-help fluff. Neuroplasticity is backed by decades of research (source).

Whether you’re healing from trauma, shifting old beliefs, or building a more fulfilled life, your brain can rewire itself. That’s the good news.

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Why This Matters for Women Healing and Growing

If you’re anything like me (or the women I work with), you were taught—either directly or indirectly—not to take up too much space. Not to ask for more. Not to choose yourself.

And for a long time, we believed those messages.

But those beliefs? They’re just neural pathways. And pathways can be pruned, replaced, and reworked. That’s the beauty of neuroplasticity.

You don’t need to hustle your way into self-worth or endlessly fight yourself. You can actually train your brain to support the version of you you’re becoming.

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How Neuroplasticity Actually Works

Here’s the simplest way to understand it:

“Neurons that fire together, wire together.” – Donald Hebb

That means the more often you think a thought or do a behavior, the stronger that pathway becomes in your brain. It’s like creating a hiking trail: the more it’s walked, the easier it is to go down again.

The reverse is also true:
If you stop reinforcing an old pattern, that trail eventually fades.

Here’s what strengthens new neural pathways:

• Repetition (doing the new thing often)
  
• Emotion (especially positive emotion!)
  
• Challenge (it has to push your comfort zone a little)
  
• Rest and sleep (yes, naps help consolidate change)
  

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How to Rewire Your Brain (Without Burning Out)

1. Start Small

Neuroplasticity isn’t about overnight change. Your brain resists extremes. Think: tiny, consistent, loving shifts.

Example: Instead of “I need to love myself today,” try “I’m open to believing I might be worthy of care.”

2. Use Repetition + Emotion

Pairing repetition with positive emotion is key. That’s why things like visualization, affirmations, or movement-based practices work when you genuinely feel them.

Try saying:
“I’m allowed to take up space. I am safe in my body. I belong here.”
Then breathe it in. Move with it. Let it settle.

3. Give Yourself Grace

Relapsing into old patterns doesn’t mean you’re broken. It means your brain is doing what it’s been trained to do. Neuroplasticity means you can retrain it.

Grace is part of the process.

4. Surround Yourself With Support

Humans are neurobiologically wired for connection. Having someone remind you that you’re allowed to choose yourself—whether that’s a coach, partner, or friend—actually strengthens the new pathways.

For me, having my partner Austin gently remind me that “you’re allowed to want this” changed everything.

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This Is What Healing Looks Like

You don’t have to be perfect to start. You don’t even have to believe it all the way yet.
You just have to be willing to try again.

And over time? Your brain will catch up to the new truth.

Yes, you can choose yourself.
Yes, you can change.
Yes, your brain will support you in doing so.

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Want to Learn More?

🎧 Listen to the podcast — I go deeper into how I used neuroplasticity to recover from burnout, rewrite old stories, and build a life I actually like waking up to. 

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You’re Not Broken—You’re Becoming

The path back to yourself isn’t easy, but it’s scientifically possible. And it’s worth it.

Your brain is capable. You are capable. And you don’t have to do it alone.